NATHAN Cleverly will hope to cap the best year of his boxing career by picking up an early Christmas present as he looks to take down the boxer they call Al Capone.

The 21-year-old from Cefn Fforest makes the first defence of his Commonwealth light-heavyweight crown tomorrow (Friday) against Kenya’s Douglas Otieno in Widnes.

It’s just nine weeks since the Cardiff University maths student – who will hit the books after the fight to prepare for his exams in January – out-pointed Tony Oakey in Liverpool to claim the title in style.

Tomorrow Cleverly will take on the part of Eliot Ness, the man who put gangster Capone behind bars in the 1930s, as he attempts to keep his unbeaten record of 13 fights.

“Otieno has got a good record but this is a big step up for him,” he said.

“I’ve got to be slightly wary of him because it’s a step into the unknown and that makes it dangerous.

“This is going to be the biggest fight of his life and I’ve got to be careful because people are going to target my title.

“There are going to be fighters out there hunting me down so I’ve always got to be ready.

“But I’m fully fit and should defend my title.”

The last 12 months have been a rollercoaster ride for Cleverly.

Having fought in Las Vegas in April, he decided to quit the Enzo Calzaghe gym in Newbridge.

A win in Widnes would be “the icing on the cake” and a platform for more success in 2009.

“Providing things go to plan tomorrow, it’s been a hugely successful year for me,” Cleverly said.

“Winning my first title was something I set out for at the start of the year. I fought in Las Vegas too, so I’ve had experience of fighting in the US and becoming Commonwealth champion caps a great year.

“Next year I need to build on what I’ve done and hopefully add another belt, which would be the British one, and remain undefeated.”

Cleverly admits he would have preferred the fight to take place in Wales, though the North West has been lucky for him so far.

“It would have been better for this to have been in Wales because it meant I would have had more of my fans behind me,” he said.

“Hopefully when my name is more established, I’ll be able to have more fights in Wales.

“The CIA in Cardiff would be the ideal venue – maybe a show with Enzo Maccarinelli.”